


Dark Offerings

by MYuzuki



Series: NRPS Autumn Spookfest 2019 [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Blood Sacrifices, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abduction, Clan Extinction, Human Sacrifice, Kidnapping, M/M, Mind Control, References to demons/dark spirits/etc., References to mind control/brainwashing (because Kotoamatsukami), if anyone thinks of any other tags that should be added please let me know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-10 16:16:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20854649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MYuzuki/pseuds/MYuzuki
Summary: A mysterious clan from the northern mountains is abducting children from the clans of Fire Country. When children from both the Senju and Uchiha clans are taken, Tobirama is tasked to go on a joint mission with an Uchiha shinobi to rescue them and eliminate the threat.Tobirama is not particularly thrilled about working alongside an Uchiha, but he quickly discovers that Kagami is not a typical Uchiha.(Written for the Autumn Spook Fest 2019 event hosted by @naruto-rare-pair-support, for the prompt Dark Offerings.)





	Dark Offerings

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is both the second thing I've written for the Autumn Spook Fest 2019 event (this time for the prompt 'Dark Offerings') and the second thing I've written for the Tobirama/Kagami ship in general. This particular fic is of the how-they-meet variety, but with abductions and attempted blood sacrifices thrown in because this is a Spook Fest submission, lol. Also, like my previous Spook Fest ficlet, this too was originally going to be a drabble. Then plot happened, and surprise! Now it's over 7k. Whoops. ;D
> 
> (Additionally just FYI: Kagami has Kotoamatsukami in this 'verse because one of my headcanons is that Mangekyō abilities tend to be similar down through the bloodlines, and according to canon (anime canon, at least) Shisui 1) has Kotoamatsukami and 2) is a descendant of Kagami's according to Sarutobi, so! That's my backwards justification, lol. XD)

**Dark Offerings**

* * *

"You cannot be serious," Tobirama says, glaring at his brother. "Anija, this is a terrible idea!"

Hashirama gives him a smile that's half apologetic and half pleading as he absently shuffles a stack of papers from one corner of his desk to the other and then back again. "Tobirama, you're the best choice for this mission; you know that as well as I do. With your speed and abilities as a sensor, locating the children and bringing them home should be straightforward."

Tobirama refrains from pointing out that nothing about this situation has been straightforward so far and that's not something that's likely to change, because he's banged his head against the brick wall of his brother's stubborn optimism many times before and isn't in the mood to do so now. "I understand why you're choosing me," he says instead, crossing his arms irritably. "I do not, however, understand why I need to bring an _Uchiha_ with me."

Hashirama's expression shifts into something more serious, something sad and weary. "Because their clan has had some of their children taken, too," he replies somberly.

Tobirama starts at that, because this is the first he's heard of it; until now, all the children taken had been either Senju or from clans allied with the Senju. "What?"

Hashirama nods, gaze dark. "Madara just sent word this morning, before you returned from your patrol," he says, picking up one of two small message scrolls and holding it out for Tobirama's inspection. "Two Uchiha children were taken five days go, and then another three just last night. He proposed a temporary truce until the children are rescued and the kidnappers dealt with," he adds. "I accepted, and we agreed that a joint mission to recover the children would be the best course of action."

Tobirama is briefly thrown for a loop by this new information, and then turns it over in his mind for a moment, assessing it from as many angles as possible before speaking. "Given the tensions between our clans, I can see the logic in having a joint mission," he concedes after a moment, because neither side is going to trust the other with their children. "However, if the goal is to send the most capable shinobi to rescue the children, shouldn't you and Madara be the ones to go?"

Because Tobirama knows himself and is very well-aware of his own skill level, but can't deny the fact that Hashirama is without a doubt the strongest shinobi ever born, and Madara is (as much as Tobirama hates to admit it) as close to Hashirama's equal as anyone is ever likely to get, at least in their lifetime.

Hashirama gives a rueful smile. "That _was_ actually our original plan," he admits, looking vaguely sheepish before giving a tired sigh. "But our elders insisted that I stay here at the compound, to better protect the remaining children in case another kidnapping attempt is made."

Tobirama considers that briefly, then huffs out a short breath. "Their reasoning has some merit," he acknowledges grudgingly. "The children _were_ all taken while you were away from the compound, after all. Perhaps your presence will be enough of a deterrent to forestall further attempts."

Tobirama personally isn't holding out much hope on that front; if the strange and savage clan from the northern mountains was bold enough to take children from the Senju clan in the first place, they can't be terribly intimidated by Hashirama's reputation or their clan's strength in general.

Throw in the fact that they'd also now taken Uchiha children as well, and Tobirama is forced to conclude that the Sugihara Clan as a whole is either very bold or very stupid.

Or just very desperate for children, although Tobirama can't fathom what for.

(Truth be told, he's not sure he actually _wants_ to know, and given his naturally inquisitive nature he thinks that says it all, really.

Because he's heard whispers about the Sugihara, murmurs about blood rituals and sacrifices to dark spirits, and while he's not _frightened_ precisely there's no denying a lingering feeling of unease when he thinks about the ramifications of such a thing.)

Hashirama, meanwhile, is examining the second message scroll, although Tobirama is absolutely certain that his brother has already read through it at least five times already. "Madara is sending someone from one of the Uchiha branch families," Hashirama informs him. "Someone named Kagami. He'll be waiting for you at the banyan tree by the river."

"He's not sending Izuna?" Tobirama asks, vaguely surprised. Because Izuna is Madara's second-in-command just as Tobirama is Hashirama's; it would make sense to send Izuna.

(Of course, common sense is something that often seems to be in short supply for the Uchiha, so perhaps this is just Tobirama expecting too much again.)

Hashirama gives him an exasperated look touched with fondness. "Considering the fact that you nearly cut Izuna in half during that last skirmish, I very much doubt that Madara will let him anywhere near you for the next decade at least. Really, we're lucky that their healers were able to save him; I doubt Madara would have been so willing to offer a truce, even a temporary one, if we'd killed his last living brother."

Something twists in Tobirama's chest and it feels almost like guilt, or perhaps regret. Because they're at war and Tobirama is a soldier, trained to kill since he was barely old enough to hold a sword, but Tobirama knows the pain of burying brothers all too well. And he wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even Madara.

He's hardly going to share these thoughts with his brother, though; Hashirama would get that sappy teary-eyed look and Tobirama's fairly certain that he'll break out in hives if he has to deal with his brother in such a state right now.

"I hope that whoever Madara has chosen can at least keep up with me," he says instead, and means it. Because he's determined to find those children and bring them home, every single one of them, and he's not going to slow his pace for anyone or anything.

"I'm sure they're a capable shinobi," Hashirama replies. "Madara wouldn't entrust just anyone with this mission; they must be quite formidable."

Tobirama gives a low hum, but otherwise doesn't deign to offer an opinion one way or the other. He's never considered Madara to have particularly good judgment, but it's not like he has much of a say in the matter anyway. "I'll leave for the rendezvous right away," he tells his brother, already mentally mapping out the fastest route to the aforementioned banyan tree.

"Be careful," Hashirama tells him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder tightly. "Come home safe."

"I'll bring the children home with me," he promises, leaning into his brother's grip briefly before turning to go.

* * *

Tobirama's first impression of Uchiha Kagami is that the other man is surprisingly hard to assess at first glance. He seems to be around Tobirama's age, perhaps a couple years younger, and has the same pale complexion and dark hair that every Uchiha seems to possess.

Unlike almost every other Uchiha that Tobirama has met in the past, however, Kagami doesn't attack him on sight. For that matter, he doesn't even flinch when Tobirama more or less appears out of thin air beside the banyan tree, arriving with a shunshin because he got impatient with walking. He just looks at Tobirama, dark gaze wary but not outright hostile, and Tobirama can't help but be reluctantly impressed.

(Not every shinobi would be able to stay so steady, not with an enemy using a shunshin to get close enough to attack, and yet Kagami is managing it. And not only that, but Tobirama thinks he can see a faint smile forming, which is…vaguely bewildering, to say the very least.)

"Senju Tobirama, I assume?" Kagami asks, tone dust-dry as he leans against the tree, arms crossing over his chest.

Tobirama inclines his head in an affirmative. "And you must be the shinobi Madara selected in place of Izuna. Kagami, was it?"

A vaguely annoyed expression flits across Kagami's face, there and gone again so fast that Tobirama could almost think he imagined it if not for the lingering tension in the other man's shoulders. "Yep, that's me," he says, and flashes a smile that Tobirama thinks is at lest eighty percent fake.

(Tobirama wonders at the irritation, wonders if it was the implication of standing in for Izuna that's bothering him or something else entirely.

_Madara wouldn't entrust this mission to just anyone_, Hashirama had said and Tobirama believes it, but he'd also said that Kagami was from a branch family, and Tobirama knows how seriously the Uchiha take their bloodlines. Had Kagami faced opposition from within his clan because of his status, despite being skilled enough for Madara to choose him?

He dismisses the thought before he can ponder it any further, because it's frankly none of his concern and totally irrelevant to the mission.)

"My brother told me that five Uchiha children were taken?" he says now, seeking confirmation of the facts just to be absolutely positive that he's operating on accurate information.

Kagami's smile fades. "Yes," he confirms. "Akiko, Kaito, and Suzume were taken last night; Shinji and Yukari went missing two nights ago."

Tobirama takes note of the names, can't help but hear the burr of grief and fury in Kagami's voice that implies a personal connection of some sort. "You knew them?"

Kagami tips one shoulder in a half-shrug, his face carefully blank even as his gaze sharpens. "The Uchiha value our children, Senju," he says, his tone almost challenging. "Everyone knew them, and we all want them back."

That's not precisely a straight answer to the question, but Tobirama wisely decides against poking at an already tense Uchiha to get a more thorough response; he hasn't survived this long by being an idiot, after all, and he has no doubt that Kagami is far more dangerous than his pretty face and ridiculously fluffy hair would suggest. "My clan is distraught about the children we've lost as well," he says instead, and it comes out icy rather than neutral as he'd intended but Kagami seems to relax a bit so Tobirama will take it as a victory, however small.

They move away from the tree in a unspoken agreement to get going, their steps carrying them up into the trees and towards the north; the mountains they're heading towards are visible on the horizon, but Tobirama knows it will take them several hours at least to reach even just the foothills.

"Do you know much about the Sugihara?" he asks a short while later, breaking the mutual silence that had arisen as they started to bound through the treetops.

Kagami seems to consider the question for a moment, his mouth pulling down into a frown before he answers. "Not much," he says eventually. "Old stories, mostly."

"What sorts of old stories?" Tobirama questions, because he knows what he's heard from his own clan -whispers of old, dark magic and innocent lives sacrificed in the name of power- but he's curious to find out what the Uchiha know of it; if they put any stock into those old legends or if they dismiss them as nonsense the way Tobirama's father always had.

Another stretch of silence, this one tense and unhappy. Then, "One of the elders mentioned that something like this happened to our clan once before, almost fifty years ago," Kagami replies at last. "Children taken in the dead of night without warning, dragged into the northern mountains."

It's not an incident Tobirama's aware of, but he supposes that's not surprising. Fifty years is before his time -before even his father's time given that the average lifespan of a shinobi is a solid thirty years at best- and relations between their two clans have never been friendly enough to warrant the sharing of such information until now. "Were the children recovered?"

"Their bodies were," Kagami says grimly. "And from the way the elder described it…" He shakes his head, something dark and angry flickering in his gaze. "She says the Sugihara practice dark magic in an attempt to supplement their clan's power, and to extend their own lifespans beyond what is natural; that they sacrifice young lives to appease whatever vicious spirits they worship." A steely sort of determination slides into his expression, turning his pretty face into something sharper, fiercer. "I'm not going to let that happen again," he says, and there's a weight to it that makes it feel like an oath.

"_We_ won't," Tobirama agrees, putting just enough emphasis on the plural to remind the Uchiha that he's not by himself on this mission, or alone in his determination to save the missing children. "We'll bring them home. All of them."

(Because Tobirama's clan has stories about the Sugihara as well, and he absolutely refuses to let any child be sacrificed in such a horrible way. It doesn't matter if they're Uchiha or Senju or from another clan entirely; they don't deserve to die, especially not like that.)

Kagami looks over at him, his expression an intriguing combination of surprise and gratitude. "All of them," he echoes with a firm nod.

They don't speak again until they're approaching the foothills where the Sugihara supposedly live; Tobirama's heard rumors that they make their home within a network of caves and tunnels like some sort of hive, but he's not one to believe something until he can verify it with his own eyes so he's inclined to take those particular legends with a grain of salt for now. "We need to decide how to proceed," Tobirama murmurs, crouching down behind some scrub brush as he surveys the area, scanning for guards or lookouts.

"I'm of the opinion that we get in and out as quickly as possible and kill whoever gets in our way," Kagami says matter-of-factly, his eyes whirling with red and black as his Sharingan comes to life. "Because if the stories about the Sugihara are true," Kagami goes on, "then we don't have a lot of time."

Tobirama grimaces, because that's a legend he's passingly familiar with as well: the Sugihara make their sacrifices on the night of a waning crescent moon, just before the moon goes completely dark in the sky.

He doesn't think it's a coincidence that tonight, immediately after the latest rash of kidnappings, is the first night where the moon fits that description. And given that the sun is currently setting on the horizon and the moon will be rising into the night sky in a few short hours, he's inclined to agree with Kagami: they need to be quick.

"I can sense the children's chakra signatures," he says now, closing his eyes and focusing on those bright spots of energy until he's reassured himself that while they're understandably terrified, they're otherwise mostly unharmed. "There are eight Sugihara shinobi standing guard over them, with several more in the tunnels nearby. There are also a few stronger presences deeper within the mountains; I assume that those are the leaders."

(He doesn't mention that there's something just _wrong_ about the chakra signatures of the Sugihara, because he doubts that Kagami will care. It still disturbs him, though. Because unlike most chakra signatures that he's seen in the past, their chakra feels strange, almost unnatural somehow. Their chakra is oily and dark to his senses, and it makes him uneasy even if he can't fully understand what it is he's sensing.)

Kagami twirls a pair kunai in one hand, the absent gesture of a shinobi who's comfortable with his weapons. "How many _exactly_ are we talking about here?" he asks, the curls of his hair lifting slightly in the twilight breeze.

Tobirama does a quick count of the unnerving chakra signatures and then counts again just to be sure. "At least twenty that we'll need to eliminate in order to rescue the children," he concludes. "There are another eight that might need to be dealt with as well, if they become alerted to our presence and join the fray."

"So that's almost thirty minimum," Kagami summarizes. "And that's assuming that the clan leaders don't take exception to us barging in and wreaking havoc on their little blood sacrifice operation."

"If they didn't want trouble," Tobirama says frostily, "then they shouldn't have taken innocent children for sacrifices."

Kagami gives a smile that's dagger-sharp, his eyes bright crimson in the fading light. "Agreed," he says.

Tobirama gives a smirk in return, pulling his sword from his back and testing the edge with the pad of a thumb to check the sharpness. "Our priority is to retrieve the children," he remarks, "but we'll need to deal with the clan leaders sooner or later, so if you see an opportunity to remove one from the equation…"

"Consider it done," Kagami says immediately, and Tobirama is reminded of the fact that boyish good looks aside, the Uchiha beside him is first and foremost a shinobi, and he wouldn't have lived this long if he wasn't a dangerous bastard like the rest of his clansmen.

"That being said, I doubt we'll be able to eliminate all the leaders tonight," Tobirama adds, scowling at the thought of letting even one of them live on after their crimes. "I suppose we'll simply have to return to finish them off some other time, once we've gotten the children to safety."

The alternative -to never come back at all and just let the Sugihara be someone else's problem- is anathema to everything Tobirama believes in, but he has to acknowledge that there are only two of them and they can't take down an entire clan of blood-thirsty demon-worshipers while also protecting a gaggle of terrified children, so. Some other time.

Kagami makes a considering sound, tipping his head faintly as a thoughtful expression crosses his face. "I have something that might be able to help with that," he says, and for a moment it's almost as if his Sharingan shifts,the shape of his pupils altering into something new before changing back.

If Tobirama weren't so confident in his own perception he might almost think it a trick of the light, and his heart skips a beat despite himself because he's been trained all his life to view the Sharingan as a threat and no manifestation of it is more dangerous than the Mangekyō.

(Some part of him wonders what Kagami experienced to trigger his Mangekyō; after all, according to what Hashirama has learned from Madara over the years, the activation of the Sharingan's ultimate form requires some sort of great emotional trauma.)

He considers asking for an explanation of what Kagami intends to actually _do_, but has to acknowledge that no shinobi (especially an Uchiha) would divulge the secrets of a unique ability to someone they barely know and probably only partially trust.

"Let me know if you require assistance," he says instead, and means it because as bad as the history is between their clans this is indisputably a joint mission and their goals are aligned: rescue the children, and devastate the Sugihara clan so that no more kidnapping attempts are made.

"Just don't let anyone decapitate me from behind and I should be fine," Kagami replies dryly, and then they're off, speeding towards the closest tunnel entrance.

It takes them under fifteen minutes to work their way through the maze of tunnels to where the children are being held, slicing and stabbing their way though the Sugihara warriors that attempt to stop them.

Kagami, Tobirama notices, seems to favor the fire jutsu his clan is known for but also has no problem with close quarters combat should the need arise; more than one Sugihara falls to a well-placed kunai, and at one point the Uchiha even picks up the sword of a fallen enemy and uses it to cut down the next two opponents who come at him, discarding it only when it cracks from the force of a particularly hard strike.

Tobirama, for his part, dispatches every single enemy he crosses blades with, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake as he moves through the tunnels towards the cavern where the children are being held. Unsurprising, really; no matter what dark gods they pray to, the Sugihara are no match for him when it comes to skill in battle, especially not when the righteous fury within him is an icy burn in his veins, and his carefully controlled rage as destructive as a lightning strike from the heavens.

(Tobirama tries not to think too hard about the unearthly shrieks their enemies give when they're struck down, or the way their wounds weep with a viscous black substance instead of blood. On the outside they appear human, but Tobirama's starting to wonder if there isn't some truth in all those old stories after all, if the Sugihara have become something else, something _other, _after so many generations of spilling innocent blood in the name of their dark gods.)

Together, he and Kagami cut down every Sugihara shinobi they meet, and soon they've reached the children. It's the effort of a few seconds to cut loose the ropes binding them, and then suddenly they have over a dozen children from at least four different clans clamoring around them asking questions and demanding to be taken home.

"Kagami-nii-chan!" one little girl cries out, her cheeks streaked with tear stains as she clutches at the hem of Kagami's shirt. "You came for us!"

"Yukari," Kagami breathes out, scooping up the little girl and holding her close in a tight hug for a moment before gently setting her back down. "Of course I came; what else was I going to do?"

"Shinji said that the elders wouldn't let you come get us because they don't like you," Yukari says with a sniffle, rubbing a hand across her eyes. "But I knew you'd come! And I kicked Shinji for being stupid," she adds with a mumble, looking mulish.

Tobirama arches an eyebrow at Kagami even as the Uchiha huffs out a laugh. "Luckily for us," Kagami tells the little girl, "Madara wasn't in the mood to listen to the elders."

"He ignored their wishes?" Tobirama asks, vaguely surprised because he's seen Hashirama debating with their own clan elders too many times to count and he can't imagine someone discounting them entirely; they have too many small and petty ways to take revenge for the slight.

"More like shouted them into submission," Kagami corrects dryly, mouth curling up into a smirk, and yes, that does sound more believable, given Madara's temperament. "Anyway, we should get going. The sooner we get these brats home, the better," he adds, ruffling the hair of another Uchiha child before boosting the boy up onto his back so he doesn't have to walk on what seem to be a badly twisted ankle.

Tobirama looks at Kagami, with the Uchiha children clustered around him like chicks around a mother hen, and can't help the faint smile that comes despite their surroundings.

_You knew them_, Tobirama had asked before, and Kagami had evaded giving a direct answer, but answer is clear enough now and Tobirama can't say he's surprised; there had been a personal edge to Kagami's fury since the start, after all.

(Later, when things have settled down, Kagami will tell him that Yukari is a member of an Uchiha branch family as well, the sister of a friend who'd fallen in battle and left the girl an orphan, parents already lost to an illness some years before.

Later, Tobirama will look at Kagami and wonder if perhaps he's misjudged the Uchiha clan as a whole.

Because they're dangerous, yes, but if there are more Uchiha shinobi like Kagami, who is lethal and merciless in battle but who also lets children clamber all over him with an easy laugh and looks after the younger sister of a dead comrade simply because it's the right thing to do…well. Perhaps if that's the case, maybe Hashirama's hopes for peace with the Uchiha clan aren't as hopeless as Tobirama had thought.)

"We'll need to move quickly," he says now, casting out his awareness as a sensor to pinpoint the locations of their remaining enemies. "The fighting must have alerted the Sugihara leaders; they're headed this way."

Kagami's Sharingan shimmers to life again, the bright red glow almost eerie in the darkness of the cave. "Leave them to me," he says, and again Tobirama wonders at what special ability Kagami must possess, to have such absolute certainty in himself and his capacity to eliminate the Sugihara clan leaders as a threat.

Of course, Mangekyō Sharingan or not, Tobirama's not about to leave his mission partner alone to face three powerful enemies; besides, there's still the children to think of. "Let's get the children clear first," he says, and strides towards a smaller tunnel that's half-hidden behind a scraggly fall of roots. "This tunnel should bring us closer to the surface," he remarks, noting the upward slant of the path. "We can use a Doton jutsu to get us the rest of the way out."

Kagami nods in acquiescence. "I'll leave that to you, then," he says with a lopsided smile. "Earth isn't precisely my element of choice; we're more likely to get buried alive than escape if I make the attempt."

Tobirama gives a snort of amusement despite himself. "Very well," he agrees, and gestures for Kagami to precede him into the tunnel with the children so he can guard the rear.

They make their way through the narrow tunnel until they reach a dead end, the children muttering anxiously even as Kagami murmurs reassurances. Tobirama, meanwhile, makes a quick series of hand signs and carefully channels the necessary chakra into the jutsu; a moment later, the rock in front of them starts to split open, dirt and pebbles raining down on them as his makeshift escape tunnel begins to take shape.

Once he's done, Kagami makes an appreciative sound as he peers down the tunnel at the faint glimmer of the night stars just barely visible at the other end. "Not bad, Senju," he remarks, clearly impressed.

"I should hope so," Tobirama replies archly, "given how much chakra I poured into the effort."

Something like amusement or perhaps mischief sparks in Kagami's eyes, but before he can do much more than open his mouth a flurry of shuriken comes flying at them from the way they'd come. He ducks down immediately, shielding the children with his body even as he draws a kunai. "Looks like the clan leaders caught up with us a little sooner than anticipated," he drawls.

"That seems to be the case," Tobirama agrees, irritated that he hadn't sensed their approach because of how focused he'd been on maintaining control of the Doton jutsu he'd used to carve out their escape tunnel.

Kagami huffs out a short breath before glancing back over his shoulder, at the tunnel. "Why don't you get the kids out," he suggests. "I'll handle these nutcases."

Tobirama frowns, torn. He doesn't like the idea of leaving Kagami alone down here, but their priority is indisputably the safety of the children. "I'll return as soon as I get the children to safety," he says at last. "Don't do anything reckless."

Kagami feigns offense. "Reckless? Me? I would never."

Tobirama rolls his eye before he can stop himself. "Of course not," he says dryly. "How foolish of me to assume otherwise." Shaking his head, he takes the injured Uchiha boy from Kagami, who flashes him another lopsided smile. "Be careful," he says, serious now. "Their chakra signatures are strong."

"Don't worry," Kagami assures him, his Sharingan bright like freshly spilled blood. "I have a plan."

* * *

"And the Sugihara clan has been _completely_ eradicated?" Hashirama asks, incredulity warring with pure shock on his face.

"Yes, anija," Tobirama replies, hands clasped loosely behind his back as he valiantly tries to ignore Madara's presence beside his brother; they'd all agreed to meet on neutral ground to discuss the outcome of the joint rescue mission, but it's hard to set aside a lifetime of suspicion and wariness, especially when he's all too aware of Madara's own hate of him.

The only reason he hasn't already left is Kagami's presence on his right, his expression calm but tinged with exhaustion. He won't abandon Kagami to the questions of two Clan Heads, not when he's so visibly weary from their mission.

(Tobirama's still torn between alarm and awe when it comes to the true power of Kagami's Mangekyō Sharingan, because the Uchiha had ended the threat of the Sugihara clan with a _glance_.

A glance, and an order.

_Kill all of those in your clan who participate in the sacrifices or condone them_, Kagami had told the enemy clan leaders, _and then kill yourselves_.

And as it turns out, the entire clan was in on it, the killing of young innocent lives for the sake of whatever unholy power they desired.

And so they'd all been killed, every single enemy shinobi slaughtered. And by their own leaders, no less.)

Hashirama gives a heavy sigh, looking torn between relief and regret. "It's a shame that it had to end this way," he says, "but if there really was no other way, I suppose it can't be helped."

Tobirama thinks of the Sugihara, thinks of all the children lost to them over the decades, thinks of their black blood and disturbing chakra, and replies calmly, "They wouldn't have stopped, anija. It's better for everyone this way."

Hashirama still looks regretful, but accepts his assertion with a nod.

Tobirama thinks that he should probably share his brother's remorse, or at least feel a little regret for helping to wipe out an entire clan, but…well. He's a shinobi, and the Sugihara were a threat. And more than that, they were just…_wrong_.

A group of shinobi who were no longer quite human, with no children f their own, reduced to kidnapping the children of other clans and sacrificing them in order to bribe dark spirit into extending their lifespans to unnatural lengths…at the end of the day, Tobirama would much rather have a clan like that dead and gone than still alive and plotting.

(He and Kagami had found some old scrolls and books after they'd gone through the hive checking for survivors of the purge, and although Tobirama tends to hoard knowledge he'd immediately told Kagami to burn them as soon as they'd glimpsed the contents.

Because the terrible things written of in those volumes are not the kind of knowledge that Tobirama wants to possess _or_ wants to see spread around; better that such knowledge is lost forever, to prevent another group like the Sugihara rising up to commit the same atrocities all over again.

So Kagami had burned all of it, and Tobirama had used another Doton jutsu to collapse the tunnels behind them after they left.)

"I'm still a bit confused, though," Hashirama says now, frowning. "You said that the Sugihara_ leaders _were responsible for killing the rest of the clan?" He shakes his head, looking troubled. "What could make them do such a thing?"

_Kagami's Mangekyō Sharingan_, Tobirama could say, but doesn't. Because he loves his brother dearly and trusts him with his life, but it's not his own life he'd be risking with such a revelation.

Because Kotoamatsukami is a devastating ability, and Tobirama can recognize how much danger Kagami would be in if word of it got around; enemy shinobi would either kill him to remove the threat or kill him to take his eyes, and Tobirama finds that there's nothing he wants less than to put Kagami at risk like that, not after getting to know the Uchiha personally.

(Because Kagami is dangerous, but with a good heart, too. He's fierce and deadly like all shinobi are, but with a streak of compassion that isn't so common.

Because Tobirama finds himself hoping that this ceasefire will somehow hold out at least a little bit longer, because he'd like the opportunity to know Kagami better, without worrying about meeting him as enemies on a battlefield.)

"The Sugihara as a whole were quite mentally disturbed, anija," he tells his brother now, skirting the truth without actually lying. "It's difficult to ascertain someone's motivation when insanity is such a considerable factor. I suggest we simply accept what has transpired and move on."

Hashirama doesn't look entirely satisfied with that answer, but he seems to accept that it's the best he's going to get because he drops the subject. "Perhaps putting all of this behind us is for the best," he concedes at last, tone one of reluctant agreement.

"Agreed," Madara says, arms crossed. "We've already wasted enough time on those crazy bastards as it is."

(Tobirama pointedly ignores Madara's knowing look, the way the Uchiha Clan Head's gaze lingers on him for a moment, assessing.

Because if anyone else know about Kagami's ability, surely it's his Clan Head; Madara must be wondering why Tobirama isn't divulging Kagami's secret, why he's protecting someone who he would have considered an enemy just a few days previously.

Tobirama has no real answer besides a small bright ball of what might be hope in his chest, tangled up with thoughts of _what_ _if_, so he ignores Madara with the ease of long practice.)

Tobirama and Kagami excuse themselves as the conversation turns more towards the long-term ramifications of the mission's success, because they're both closing in on drop-dead tired and neither one of them is particularly interested in clan politics.

They leave the tent that Hashirama and Madara are using as a shared office for the remaining duration of the ceasefire, but Kagami's steps falter as they head outside, the steady blue-violet pulse of his chakra flickering like an ebbing candle flame as his exhaustion catches up with him and he stumbles, almost tripping.

Tobirama catches the Uchiha on instinct, wrapping an arm around Kagami's waist to keep him upright before he can even think about it.

"Sorry," Kagami mumbles, but doesn't move away.

"It's fine," Tobirama's mouth says immediately, with no input from his brain. "You need to rest," he adds a second later, once his higher functioning kicks back in. "You used up a considerable amount of chakra during the mission."

"Food first," is Kagami's response. "I'm hungry enough to eat an entire cow right now."

"Ambitious," Tobirama remarks dryly. "But fine. The Akimichi have a trading outpost near here; we can go there to eat while Hashirama and Madara finish things up."

"Why, Senju," Kagami says, slanting him a look of amusement, "are you taking me out to lunch? How sweet."

Tobirama considers dumping him in the dirt on general principle, but decides against it. "Clearly the chakra exhaustion is making you delirious," he says instead, a smirk curling up a corner of his mouth despite himself. "Even my brother wouldn't dare to describe me as _sweet_," he adds.

Kagami just laughs, dark eyes warm despite his weariness. "What can I say," he says, "I'm a daring person."

"You are _ridiculous_," Tobirama informs him, giving a small huff of laughter. "Come, let's go get some food before our Clan Heads change their minds and decide they want our input on whatever political nonsense they're discussing."

"An excellent idea" Kagami agrees, and lets Tobirama whisk them away with a Hiraishin.

(In the end, the joint rescue mission is considered a resounding success, and even the elders of their respective clans have to acknowledge that Hashirama and Madara had made the right call sending Tobirama and Kagami respectively.

Hashirama and Madara, in turn, take that victory and run with it, declaring an extension to the ceasefire that promptly eradicates the goodwill they'd gained with the elders (who don't seem to actually want a permanent peace despite their frequent complaints about the war).

What's done is done, however, and Tobirama finds himself cautiously hopeful that maybe _this_ time the peace will last.

Because he has another lunch date with Kagami in a week's time, and he very much doesn't want the pointless feud between their clans to get in the way of it.)


End file.
